Jamaica’s senior men’s football team will face hosts Grenada in an international friendly in St George’s on January 18.

With the date falling outside the FIFA international window, interim head coach Rudolph Speid has selected a 24-member training squad made up largely of locally based players and those plying their trade in North America, as several regulars will still be on club duty.

Speid explained that the match is part of the Jamaica Football Federation’s (JFF) annual commitment to local player development, and is not specifically geared toward preparations for the FIFA Intercontinental play-offs in Mexico this March. Jamaica will face New Caledonia in the semi-final, with the winner advancing to play DR Congo for a place at the FIFA World Cup finals this summer.

However, Speid says the friendly provides an opportunity for players to stake a claim for inclusion in the training camp ahead of the Mexico trip.

“We’ve always had this development game for the last three or four years,” Speid said at a press conference on Wednesday. “Because we’re in World Cup qualifiers doesn’t mean we’re going to change that. But it has more significance now, yes, because some players can catch our eye to make up the rest of the squad (for the playoffs).”

The training camp began on Wednesday and ends on Friday, with another camp scheduled for next week before the team departs. The final squad for the Grenada match will be named then.

Speid says the game is particularly important for domestic-based players seeking international exposure. He says the JFF is working to secure additional international friendlies in February as the Reggae Boyz continue preparations for the Intercontinental play-offs.

Speid says he hopes to assemble a 60-man squad for next month’s camp and has already named 52 players, with negotiations and scouting ongoing to finalise the remaining eight.

Training squad for Grenada friendly:

Goalkeepers
Kemar Foster (Mount Pleasant)
Tafari Chambers (Mount Pleasant)
Daniel Russell (Portmore United)

Defenders
Christopher Ainsworth (Cavalier)
Javain Brown (Real Salt Lake)
Damion Lowe (Houston Dynamo)
Ronaldo Webster (Shkendija)

Stephen Young (Portmore United)
Kyle Ming (Mount Pleasant)
Fitzroy Cummings (Mount Pleasant)
Robino Gordon (Phoenix Chapelton)

Midfielders
Adrian Reid Jr (Cavalier)
Shamar Watson (Cavalier)
Dwayne Atkinson (Rhode Island)
Andre Lewis (Spokane Velocity)
Tyreek Magee (Mount Pleasant)
Jahshaun Anglin (Mount Pleasant)
Jaheim Thomas (Arnett Gardens)
Nickyle Ellis (Racing FC)

Forwards
Romario Williams (Indy Eleven)
Trayvon Reid (Harbour View)
Daniel Green (Mount Pleasant)
Jourdain Fletcher (Montego Bay United)
Warner Brown (Mount Pleasant)